Comments Thread For: Anthony Joshua Set To Defend Title Against Eric Molina 12/10/16

I'm not terribly upset over Joshua picking Eric Molina. Joshua only has 17 pro fights under his belt and he's still developing as a fighter. Better to not to rush him and let him develop rather than get him banged up and worn out by the time he's in his late 20s. Longevity is the name of the game. This is the correct comment and something people seem to forget due to the fact that Joshua has already achieved stardom in the UK. While it's arguable if Molina is Joshua's best opponent to date, he's the most experienced at the top level after Kingpin Johnson and certainly much more dangerous than him. Joshua has a long career ahead of him and is only making the second defense of his belt. Hell it wasn't that long ago that people thought he was being thrown in with Kingpin, Sprott and Skelton too early. Molina is a decent opponent and there will be better fights to come. Parker and Klitschko both decided that there were easier ways to get a belt and it left the fans in a bit of a disappointing situation, but there are plenty of big fights looming on the horizon in the heavyweight division, its just going to take a little while longer to get there.

This fight is a good sign. Joshua targeting a Wilder opponent means a Joshua - Wilder showdown is closer than ever.

I'm not terribly upset over Joshua picking Eric Molina. Joshua only has 17 pro fights under his belt and he's still developing as a fighter. Better to not to rush him and let him develop rather than get him banged up and worn out by the time he's in his late 20s. Longevity is the name of the game.

No real surprise here. Disappointing, to say the least. But there was no chance Uncle Eddie was going to take on a fight that had any risk. And this is absolutely a zero risk fight. AJ in 3, if that.

I still can't see what made the Browne fight difficult to make... Browne wants to fight for his old WBA title. He's little better than Molina anyway. Same goes for Price, Chisora etc. Obviously Ortiz was mentioned earlier, but I'd rather not see a drug cheat get a shot. Pulev is probably the only realistic option that would have been a genuine step up in class, though he has been busy chasing Parker for a final eliminator. Again, I'll reiterate that no-one actually wants the Parker/Haye/Wlad fights jeopardised - including the fans like us - so who gives a f***. Molina will get removed within four rounds, we'll learn nothing new; the haters will continue to call AJ a hype job (despite all evidence to the contrary) and the fanboys will cream themselves over his shiny muscles. Plus çe change. Shame Wlad got injured/"injured"*. *delete as appropriate for your personal conspiracy levels.

Agreed. Once Klitschko decided not to fight AJ/suffered an "injury", then the options for AJ became limited. Not many good names available. Price and Chisora are no better than Molina. I still can't see what made the Browne fight difficult to make...

Pulev, Ortiz, Browne, Jennings, Chisora, and Ustinov were available and he picks Molina I think Kubrat Pulev wants to fight in his hometown Sofia/Bulgaria. I heard something like this. I agree with you about other options.

Dunno why everyone is complaining. Haye won't take the fight until next year, Fury is off on sabbatical, Parker and Povetkin are committed elsewhere and Wilder and Wlad are injured. Who else are you going to get but a fringe contender/bum at that notice? And make no mistake about it, that's exactly what glassjaw Price, Chisora, Briggs etc are. We all know Haye & Klitchko are coming up next year, and who genuinely wants Joshua to jeopardise that? Just don't buy the PPV. Agreed. Once Klitschko decided not to fight AJ/suffered an "injury", then the options for AJ became limited. Not many good names available. Price and Chisora are no better than Molina.

Personally I think this is the best of the 3 options they were talking about. Wasn't gonna be somebody great on short notice after they couldn't get Parker or Klitschko in there. Hopefully it is a loaded undercard. I expect Joshua by brutal KO within 4. Hopefully after this it's a mandatory defense against Pulev in the spring and then a stadium fight with Klitschko in the summer. This was not a short notice fight, Molina was their choice all along.

Dunno why everyone is complaining. Haye won't take the fight until next year, Fury is off on sabbatical, Parker and Povetkin are committed elsewhere and Wilder and Wlad are injured. Who else are you going to get but a fringe contender/bum at that notice? And make no mistake about it, that's exactly what glassjaw Price, Chisora, Briggs etc are. We all know Haye & Klitchko are coming up next year, and who genuinely wants Joshua to jeopardise that? Just don't buy the PPV. They faked like they really wanted the Klitschko fight. Then put out a list of opponents and chose the one who they deemed the weakest.

Molina either needs to be matched up with fellow C level fighters or up and coming prospects like Lipinets, Imam, Prograis etc.

Personally I think this is the best of the 3 options they were talking about. Wasn't gonna be somebody great on short notice after they couldn't get Parker or Klitschko in there. Hopefully it is a loaded undercard. I expect Joshua by brutal KO within 4. Hopefully after this it's a mandatory defense against Pulev in the spring and then a stadium fight with Klitschko in the summer.

War Drummer Boy :lol1:

Dunno why everyone is complaining. Haye won't take the fight until next year, Fury is off on sabbatical, Parker and Povetkin are committed elsewhere and Wilder and Wlad are injured. Who else are you going to get but a fringe contender/bum at that notice? And make no mistake about it, that's exactly what glassjaw Price, Chisora, Briggs etc are. We all know Haye & Klitchko are coming up next year, and who genuinely wants Joshua to jeopardise that? Just don't buy the PPV. Pulev, Ortiz, Browne, Jennings, Chisora, and Ustinov were available and he picks Molina

This is disappointing considering the fact Lucas Browne was up for an AJ fight. Molina ffs, I think I'd have preferred to see price to be honest, if nothing it's got a little bit of needle with a faint score to settle, this is not ppv though ffs, chisora whyte should be the main event at this rate

So we are about to see the first two Mexican champs in history. Molina and Ruiz.

Dunno why everyone is complaining. Haye won't take the fight until next year, Fury is off on sabbatical, Parker and Povetkin are committed elsewhere and Wilder and Wlad are injured. Who else are you going to get but a fringe contender/bum at that notice? And make no mistake about it, that's exactly what glassjaw Price, Chisora, Briggs etc are. We all know Haye & Klitchko are coming up next year, and who genuinely wants Joshua to jeopardise that? Just don't buy the PPV.

A HEARN specialty right here Talks about a Klit fight , instead slides in a Eric Molina Will Joshua get roasted on here like Wilder did. I'm guessing not Sh.it fight, Don't mind AJ but he needs to up His comp level soon. Got handed a title he didn't deserve and whole resume consists of 2nd tier scrubs

Anthony Joshua is a protected BUM fighter. Eric Molina is sh*t, proper sh*t.

Ugh 10 chars